Is it Christmas yet?

Lots of things have happened since I last posted and a lot of time has passed. Rick and I are moved into our house outside of Granger and after many hitches in the road, I am finding it quite homey. What kind of hitches, you ask? Well, my box spring wouldn't fit up the stairs to the bedroom, a mouse was monopolizing our silverware drawer (his corpse is now in the back yard), the tv guys didn't come as scheduled twice, and ice was keeping me from using the garage. One day there was a horse in my driveway when I came home. Love it. Our biggest remaining hurdle is obtaining internet access. Technically we're closer to Granger than Madrid but since Granger has no rural mail carrier we have a Madrid address. And a Granger phone number. Apparently this creates a problem for internet providers as they see the address and say they can't service the house even though they have serviced it in the past. Lovely.

All of Rick's belongings arrived the day before he left for Texas so I have been putting things away bit by bit (though the entrance of television and my new DVR into my life slowed down the process). He'll be in TX for another week or so and I'll be shuttling between Northwood and Granger for the next week. I think I'm about as organized as I can be at this point until I get a bookcase and a desk. I suppose I could throw everything into the closets.... It wouldn't be such a big deal except Jane is coming back around Christmas and we're going to hang out on New Year's Eve so I just decided to throw a party. Should be fun as long as I get the house cleaned.

Today I'm in Northwood. My great-uncle passed away on Monday and his funeral is today. Although he was my mom's uncle, he was more like a grandfather figure to Allyson and me as we didn't have grandparents on my mom's side. He was 86 and in failing health in the past few years though he was ornery as ever. We had a big family dinner together the night I got back from Hawaii, and we'll miss him at Christmas.

Tomorrow Mom and Dad are coming down and we're going to the Tonic Sol-Fa concert in Des Moines--should be a good time. I know I'm excited. Dad takes one day off to go Christmas shopping and it was supposed to be during this week but because of circumstances he's going on Saturday in Des Moines. Slumber party! Hopefully I can get Mom to help me put the house together. And then back to Northwood for Christmas--I can't wait!!!!!!!!